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The Last of Us Remastered's Photo Mode isn't just useful for capturing those little moments of perfectly-framed opportunity, you know. When used to string together a series of 3D portraits set against the game's haunting guitar theme, it can help make a pretty darn good trailer for the game. Thankfully, the situation we've just described isn't hypothetical; YouTube user Grant Voegtle has done precisely that, and you can see the results above.

As beautiful as the trailer is, you might want to hold off on watching if you haven't yet played Naughty Dog's romp through post-fungal-pocalypse America, as there are plenty of major spoilers shown. Of course, even if you have played through The Last of Us and know what's coming, sometimes it's worth it to take another trip.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fanfan-trailernaughty-dogphoto-modeplaystationps4sonythe-last-of-usthe-last-of-us-remasteredtrailerSun, 10 Aug 2014 16:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2014/05/17/artist-takes-league-of-legends-from-moba-to-2d-fighter/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/05/17/artist-takes-league-of-legends-from-moba-to-2d-fighter/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/05/17/artist-takes-league-of-legends-from-moba-to-2d-fighter/#commentsLeague of Legends may not share much in common with your average 2D fighter, but the hyper-popular multiplayer online battle arena does feature a large, diverse cast of champions, which was enough impetus for Brazilian artist Iury Padilha to reimagine the MOBA in a more intimate combat style.

Padilha recently uploaded images to his DeviantArt account which depict League of Legends characters squaring off in traditional Street Fighter-esque mano a mano fisticuffs. While Padilha clearly owes much of his personal style to anime and manga influences - somehow even moreso than Capcom's stable of Japanese artists - he does an excellent job of translating champions from one medium to another.

Even more impressive are the backgrounds Padilha has designed, which depict small scenes drawn from League of Legends' various battlegrounds with a slightly muted color palette. This tone seems more apropos for the source material, even as it contrasts with the more cartoonish style Padilha lends his characters.

You can find the entirety of Padilha's efforts by visiting his DeviantArt page, along with a much higher resolution version of the image above.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fanfan-artfighteriury-padilhaleague-of-legendspcSat, 17 May 2014 22:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/12/papa-and-yo-dev-replies-to-fans-moving-letter/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/12/papa-and-yo-dev-replies-to-fans-moving-letter/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/12/papa-and-yo-dev-replies-to-fans-moving-letter/#comments
Let it never be said that the developers at Minority Media - the team behind Papo & Yoand a studio you should get to know - are out of touch with their fans. After receiving a handwritten, 5-page letter sent in by an anonymous fan, Community Manager Rommel Romero posted an open letter response. The text is heartwarming and thoughtful, and shows a kind of thinking it would be nice to see more of. It reads, in part:

"I read your moving letter the moment it got to our studio and felt that the team would love to know about you. So, we called a meeting and I read them your gripping story out loud. I had to stop every other paragraph to regain my composure; your story is an overwhelming one and your courage is inspiring.

Being a small company, our path is filled with many challenges and the energy we get from our community of fans helps us push forward. When I was finished reading your letter to the team and I looked back at them, I saw in their faces that you had given them strength."

The original letter isn't posted anywhere, but it's clear that it touched on some very deep and personal issues. "In your letter, you spoke of your father and about how he tells you that your thoughts are worthless," Romero wrote. "I am writing you to tell you that we disagree: your thoughts are powerful. I will pin your letter on a board in everyone's view, so that you may constantly remind us why we do what we do."

Tournaments are generally created by developers to promote a game, but in this case the idea for the event came from the Natural Selection 2 fan community. The only hitch is that Unknown Worlds is a relatively small firm which readily admitted that it couldn't afford the $30,000 necessary to host such a tournament. Undeterred, the fans pushed harder: "We will organize it, Unknown Worlds. We will fund it. All we ask is that you help us," wrote members of the community.

Finally convinced, Unknown Worlds has agreed to the tournament, assuming the community is able to raise the necessary $30,000 funds. If that occurs, the tournament will host 24 of the best Natural Selection 2 players from around the world in a round robin tournament to determine who is the best of the best. If you'd like to donate to the tournament fundraiser, you can find full information on the game's new GoFundMe page.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>communityfanfundraisernatural-selection-2pcsteamtournamentunknown-worlds-entertainmentMon, 14 Oct 2013 18:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/bioshock-fan-film-tells-the-tale-of-the-brothers-rapture/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/bioshock-fan-film-tells-the-tale-of-the-brothers-rapture/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/bioshock-fan-film-tells-the-tale-of-the-brothers-rapture/#comments
Following up on an intriguing teaser released last week, director Shaun Rykiss and a team of Vancouver film students have produced The Brothers Rapture, a BioShock fan film about a pair of siblings and their experiments with genetics-altering Plasmids in the underwater city of Rapture.

If you've played the BioShock games, you might imagine that things don't turn out well for these guys, but the film provides an interesting look at what life may have been like for Rapture's citizens in the years before its fall. The lighting and Plasmid effects are quite nice, too.

The Brothers Rapture is an upcoming short film put together by a group of Vancouver film students with a bit of Indiegogo funding, and this teaser should give you an idea of what it has in store. Plasmids, audio diaries, and the philosophical battle between art and commerce, oh my!

The Creative Assembly has decided to include the likeness of one of their fans, named James, in the upcoming Total War: Rome 2. James visited the studio last year the day after the game was announced, and unfortunately passed away from a bout with liver cancer just recently. The Creative Assembly says he was the first person in the world from outside the studio to play the game, and character artist Mauro Bonelli offered to assemble a model of James from reference photos and measurements.

The screenshot above is a mockup for now, as Creative Assembly community manager Craig Laycock says the company isn't sure where he'll end up. But he will be in there, according to Laycock, and the team is "determined to make it a fitting tribute" to their fan when the game is on shelves later this year.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>charactercoolcraig-laycockfanjameslikenessliver-cancermauro-bonellipcrepresentationsadthe-creative-assemblytotal-war-rome-2Thu, 21 Mar 2013 04:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/10/a-whole-fleet-of-lego-halo-vehicles-ready-for-deployment/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/10/a-whole-fleet-of-lego-halo-vehicles-ready-for-deployment/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/10/a-whole-fleet-of-lego-halo-vehicles-ready-for-deployment/#commentsLEGO Halo is, unfortunately, still an April Fool's joke. But if Bungie or Microsoft ever do want to put it together, maybe Benny Brickster can help. He's modeled a number of different Halo vehicles, from the Covenant's Ghost all the way up to the gigantic Pelican, in the excellent and versatile LEGO medium.

The Pelican is quite a feat in itself, sitting over 26 inches long, with wings so heavy they need their own stands. The back door even opens and closes. Next up, Brickster plans to expand the Covenant forces, building a Wraith, a Phantom, and possibly even a seven-foot long full-scale Assault Carrier. We won't lie: Building something like that would make him a real master, chief.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artbenny-bricksterfanHaloHalo-Combat-EvolvedlegolegosmicrosoftxboxWed, 10 Aug 2011 23:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/16/fan-made-sonic-the-hedgehog-2-hd-remake-trailer-runs-loose/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/16/fan-made-sonic-the-hedgehog-2-hd-remake-trailer-runs-loose/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/16/fan-made-sonic-the-hedgehog-2-hd-remake-trailer-runs-loose/#comments
Fans continue their attempts to make a better Sonic game than Sega can -- this time, by remaking one of the franchise's all-time favorites. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 HD is an update to the Genesis classic that, barring any ceast and desist letters, should be available to everyone in alpha form in "Q1" of this year.

Unlike the previously-released Sonic Fan Remix, Sonic 2 HD isn't trying to stray too far from the simplistic visuals of the 16-bit original. While we think it's a rather impressive fan endeavor, many Sonic fans disagree. One outspoken commenter noted on the game's official site: "I thought you guys were gonna show us something that would blow away a project like Sonic Fan Remix. Guess not guys ... I'm not following this sh-t anymore."

Sonic fans really are hard to please, huh? Check out the trailer after the break.

When devoted fans of a video game franchise have a story to tell within the confines of the franchise's universe, they usually turn to written fanfic. The team at CNCLabs had a different idea: Why not turn their story, inspired by a group of soldiers encountered in Command and Conquer: Tiberian Sun Firestorm -- then never heard from again -- into a fully realized video game? After three years in development, their lofty goal was met, resulting in the release of Command and Conquer 3: The Forgotten.

Our personal favorite aspect of the fan-made expansion? True to the series, it's got live-action cutscenes. Sure, they might lack appearances by old, old, old wrestlers, but we'll be damned if they don't have heart. You can check out a trailer for the fan game after the jump, or download it on The Forgotten's official site.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cnclabsCommand-and-Conquer-3Command-and-Conquer-3-Tiberium-Warsea-tiburonfanfanmademodpcThu, 23 Sep 2010 15:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/08/full-length-mega-man-fan-film-now-showing-on-screwattack/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/08/full-length-mega-man-fan-film-now-showing-on-screwattack/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/08/full-length-mega-man-fan-film-now-showing-on-screwattack/#comments
If you can set aside 90-some-odd-minutes during your oh-so-busy Saturday, we suggest you check out the entirety of Eddie Lebron's recently released, massive fan project: Mega Man: The Movie. Its got a level of polish we're not accustomed to seeing from most fan films -- by which we mean we can watch the entire thing without involuntarily cringing our faces off.

The full movie is hosted for free over at ScrewAttack. All kidding aside, it's totally worth watching. You can really tell that a lot of hard work and love for the franchise went into the making of the film. Also, a lot of mustache pomade.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>capcomeddie-lebronfanfan-filmfilmmega-manmovieSat, 08 May 2010 15:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/28/club-nintendo-fans-for-nintendo-fans/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/28/club-nintendo-fans-for-nintendo-fans/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/28/club-nintendo-fans-for-nintendo-fans/#commentsNintendo of Japan has unveiled the latest prizes to tempt people out of their Club Nintendo coins: a series of Japanese folding fans in Mario and Animal Crossing motifs. For 150 coins each, the service has four surprisingly cool-looking fans: one featuring Mario on a monochrome background, one with Bloobers on blue, an Animal Crossing fireworks scene, and another Animal Crossing image with a pink color scheme. These will be available through June 30. Nintendo also put the Mario poster set on the Japanese site.

We used to see things like these and lament the fact that they'd never be available outside of Japan. But North America's Club Nintendo actually brings over a lot of stuff from the Japanese club now!

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animal-crossingclub-nintendofanfansjapanmarioWed, 28 Apr 2010 20:56:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/09/sonic-spinball-coaster-coming-to-uk-theme-park/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/09/sonic-spinball-coaster-coming-to-uk-theme-park/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/09/sonic-spinball-coaster-coming-to-uk-theme-park/#commentsSonic fans have to be the most hardcore fan base out there right now. Who else would have been able to survive all of the disappointments over the last decade? But don't worry -- Sega is rewarding your everlasting fandom with ... a rollercoaster ride. Rumor has it that the UK's Alton Towers is rebranding its Spinball Whizzer ride as "Sonic Spinball," and a rep from the park says that the retheme will "coincide with the relaunch of Sonic" in 2010.

A 2010 relaunch of Sonic, you say? Color us interested. The teal structure of the ride is apparently being repainted a nice Sonic blue, and this isn't the first time the hedgehog has appeared in the park, either. Here's an old appearance in the park's "Toyland Tours" ride. The coaster is scheduled to be ready for running again in February, so if you happen to be in the UK, you can queue your way up for it then.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alton-towersfanfunmiles-prowerproject-needlemouserelaunchrollercoastersegasonicsonic-spinballspinball-whizzertheme-parkSat, 09 Jan 2010 07:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/17/fan-releases-trailer-for-feature-length-sonic-film/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/17/fan-releases-trailer-for-feature-length-sonic-film/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/17/fan-releases-trailer-for-feature-length-sonic-film/#commentsSonic fans are notoriously devoted to Sega's hedgehog mascot, sticking with the franchise in spite of Sega's best efforts to run it into the ground. However, it's arguable that no one is more dedicated to Sonic than Rich Kuta. Why? He's making a feature-length Sonic film -- and paying for it with his own money.

It sounds absurd; impossible, even. However, Kuta has recently released a trailer to prove that he's got the know-how to make it work. The project is currently in the "storyboarding stage," with a planned crew of nearly 60 people. The film will be hand-drawn using a program called ToonBoom, and will be animated by an unnamed studio in Miami. Kuta plans on releasing the film in 2011, in time for Sonic's 20th anniversary, for free. Granted, he may come into a pretty major hiccup, as he admits, "We do not have SEGA's endorsement, permission, or authorization to do so, and it is a clear violation of copyright laws."

Should Sega avoid slamming a C&D on Kuta and co., then this film may become one part of the rebirth of the fastest thing alive. We're going to grab our Sonic PJs and dust off our DVDs of SatAM while we join the legions of Sonic nerds that are now anticipating this film in addition to Project Needlemouse.

SCEA recently held a short film contest, where people were asked to submit videos showcasing their love of PS3 on the internet through "public displays of affection" for publishing on YouTube. SCEA has just unveiled the three winners, all of whom we're proud to showcase here. They each won a PS3 system and five games. Check out the winners, and tell us which one is your favorite.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fanpdaps3Sat, 22 Dec 2007 13:50:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/03/todays-no-greenlight-video-contra-movie-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/03/todays-no-greenlight-video-contra-movie-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/03/todays-no-greenlight-video-contra-movie-trailer/#commentsFiled under: Arcade, Culture, Retro, Action, Video, MachinimaThis fan-made, Contra trailer for a movie that has only been made in our hearts keeps us watching as closely as in a one-hit-one-death game. The jokes sometimes miss, but the moments with quick editing and game footage look great. It's made by the same guys who brought you the Punch Out movie trailer, so expect similar shenanigans.

What do you get when you mix video game junkies and a video camera? Well, in most cases you get a lot of unwatchable junk. However, these guys have put together a fan-made retro gaming film trailer that ain't half bad. Sure, the acting isn't going to win them any Academy Awards or spots on the People's Choice list, but hey ... when you can stick some retro-gaming action in with live-action footage, we're all over it.

Check out the video above and imagine what you'd do if Donkey Kong showed up in your world. We'd be running the other direction, phoning every Italian plumber we knew.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fanThe-GamertrailerTronSat, 27 Oct 2007 15:26:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/17/nintendo-shuts-down-official-forums-indefinitely/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/17/nintendo-shuts-down-official-forums-indefinitely/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/17/nintendo-shuts-down-official-forums-indefinitely/#commentsFiled under: Nintendo DS, Nintendo WiiPop quiz time: You're a video game manufacturer with an insanely loyal fan base that has joined together to turn your official online forums into a vibrant, thriving Internet community. What do you do? Answer: If you're Nintendo, you shut down those forums and leave their future up in the air during a site redesign.

A cryptic message on the NSider Forums main page today announced that the message boards have been disabled "indefinitely" pending a complete overhaul of the entire Nintendo.com site. Nintendo says that the future of the forums past that redesign is "uncertain" and that the existing posts will be taken down after a week of availability in read-only format.

In the meantime, Nintendo suggests users who want to continue talking about the company should consider "starting their own Nintendo discussion sites." Sounds good to us. After all, why should a big company like Nintendo have to incur the cost of hosting, promoting and moderating a community of fans devoted to talking about their products when the fans can do it themselves?

Adding color to your console no longer means you'll have to void your warranty by breaking it open. While more complicatedmods have you pulling off panels to replace the Wii's shell, GT Coupe's "crystal clear cases" -- available in blue, pink, green, white, and black -- allow you to just slip the system into the plastic housing for the desired hue. Each case come with a blue-LED-lined, cooling-fan-equipped stand to accommodate your refitted console.

DealExtreme lists the Dazzle Colorful and Luxury Kit at about $30, but only has the pink case in stock. You can find the other colors for much cheaper ($22) if you're willing to make your purchase through eBay. Head past the break for a couple more photos of the kit.

The Smash Bros. Brawl fan-made videos keep getting better, like this trailer made by Carlos Maulén and posted by YouTube user spiderfalcox. The segment follows the style and soundtrack of the original Smash Bros. trailer but replaces the video track with retro sprites. The result is a cool mash-up of the characters, generally from the games in which they first appeared.

While this was posted about two months ago, it's new to us and certainly worth a look if you missed it then. It's just like mid-Summer TV.

Are you a fanatical collector of all things Nintendo? Do you need something prismatic to circulate air in your newborn's nursery? Or are you as much a Nintendo fanboy as we are, and just think something like this is TOTALLY SWEET?

According to the auction, the fan was produced in 1988 and is still in good working condition. The sale ends at 11:57 AM tomorrow morning, so be on the lookout for auction snipers. Currently sitting at $51.00 USD, it's a steal even by ordinary ceiling fan standards. And you can rest assured, with this colorful relic of Nintendo's bygone hegemony wafting cool air down upon you, no one will doubt your allegiance to the boys in Kyoto.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ceilingfanebayfannintendoThu, 26 Jul 2007 18:10:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/10/touching-is-good-at-safeco-field/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/10/touching-is-good-at-safeco-field/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/10/touching-is-good-at-safeco-field/#commentsThe Seattle Mariners baseball team is trying a new pilot program at Safeco Field that lets fans watch replays and live feeds of the game, answer trivia questions, and even order food from the relative comfort of their sticky bleachers. Sound interesting? Oh, we forgot one detail: all of this uses the DS.

For a $5 fee ($30 for 10 games), access to the Nintendo Fan Network software is granted. Two download points in the stadium broadcast the software wirelessly.

We're glad to see Nintendo getting some mileage out of that baseball team they bought. They've certainly got our interest with this context-sensitive non-game. We want to go to a baseball game now.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>baseballdsds liteDsLitefanlitemarinersnetworknintendonintendo fan networkNintendoFanNetworkTue, 10 Jul 2007 09:50:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/04/nintendo-short-cuts-be-the-hero/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/04/nintendo-short-cuts-be-the-hero/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/04/nintendo-short-cuts-be-the-hero/#commentsIt must be hard, getting your friends together, making costumes, and getting props set up in under a week, if the story posted along with this video is true. Time constraints didn't prevent these Zelda fans from getting their send-up on film in time for the contest's deadline. The costuming looks pretty good, too, but we can't help but wonder if groups like this fight over who gets to be Link. Are they hiding bruises under those robes and tunics? We'll bet yes, but judging from the choreography of the fight scenes, it's likely no one got hurt too badly. Swing those swords like men, Zelda fans (or like angry women; we're all about equal opportunity swordsmanship around here)! But props on the setting, costumes, and music -- not bad for a rush job!

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>contestcosplayfannintendoshort cutsShortCutsvideozeldaMon, 04 Jun 2007 17:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/29/todays-best-crossover-video-fighters-and-shoot-em-ups/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/29/todays-best-crossover-video-fighters-and-shoot-em-ups/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/29/todays-best-crossover-video-fighters-and-shoot-em-ups/#commentsFiled under: Culture, Hacks, Retro, Action, Fighting, Video, MachinimaOur latest trip down the internet's (You) Tubes leaves us basking in the mash-up glory of JudgeSpear. This videomaker's page showcases dozens of game crossovers, with characters from different titles fighting, and even non-gaming characters get inserted into the action. While a little long, we especially like one of the shoot-'em-up crossovers, where a spaceship is piloted through several fighting games and even a GameBoy version of Super Mario Bros.

If you're still not convinced, let this sway you: Mike Tyson makes an appearance near the end. Watch the video after the break.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>360consoleconsole warconsole warsConsoleWarConsoleWarsfanhottest videoHottestVideoplatform warplatform warsPlatformWarPlatformWarsPS3videowiiwii60Xbox-360Tue, 15 May 2007 00:15:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/14/brando-stars-in-a-wii-stand-named-desire/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/14/brando-stars-in-a-wii-stand-named-desire/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/14/brando-stars-in-a-wii-stand-named-desire/#commentsThough not as psychedelically colorful as PEGA's Wii stand and remote charger, Brando's Crystal Cooler isn't without its own glitz. The USB-powered base has a built-in "high-velocity" fan to keep your console's temperature low and an LED glow that'll color your living room walls an electric blue. If you squint and straddle one of your couch's arms like a bike, it'll almost feel like you're riding through Tron on a lightcycle.

We're still not convinced that the Wii needs a cooling fan, but some gamers will look for any excuse to light up their hardware. Priced at nineteen dollars though, the product doesn't even automatically turn on after detecting high temperatures. Instead, users have to manually hit an unmarked switch behind the stand. That's some ol' malarkey right there. Speed through the post break for more glamour shots of the Crystal Cooler.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>basebrandocollingcoolercrystal coolercrystalcoolerfannintendonintendowiistandusbwiiMon, 14 May 2007 14:45:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/14/todays-most-musical-video-final-fantasy-in-mario-paint/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/14/todays-most-musical-video-final-fantasy-in-mario-paint/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/14/todays-most-musical-video-final-fantasy-in-mario-paint/#commentsFiled under: Culture, Retro, VideoYouTube user TomBobBlender has built a stockpile of game music songs recreated in Mario Paint. One of his latest, the Final Fantasy IV battle theme is our pick for today's video, but browse through his YouTube page for even more selections. Game music recreated in a game -- does it get any geekier better than that?

Well, everywhere except in a store, boxed and ready for purchase. But Wii-fever continues to burn strong and bright, as evidenced by this street art captured in the wild of Illinois. We approve the clever use of crosswalk lines, but what's with that cord? Someone must be doing it wrong ... because the last time we checked, the Wiimote is wireless, and we only wish the nunchuk cable was that long.

We're forced to give this an A- for lack of realism, but we applaud the effort. Just one question, though -- player 1, where are you?

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artfangraffitiNintendoWiiWed, 25 Apr 2007 13:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/18/spending-the-big-bucks-on-xbox-360-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/18/spending-the-big-bucks-on-xbox-360-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/18/spending-the-big-bucks-on-xbox-360-games/#commentsPlaying on a very costly and sweet gaming setup (minus the television) velodyne_76 has invested a lot of time and money into his video game hobby addiction. With over 150 original Xbox games and his Xbox 360 library growing past 116 titles, we can't help but wonder if there are even 116 Xbox 360 games that are worth purchasing. Actually, we just noticed a copy of Pimp My Ride in his game collection, so that answers that. Not a problem though, because velodyne _76 is rocking out to Guitar Hero II, watching HD content on his HD DVD player, and playing A+ titles like Gears of War. So fanboys, can anyone one-up velodyne_76 with either their video game collection or gaming setup? Just cash out your life savings and go on a shopping spree, it'll be fun.

Santiago Zapata has done something horribly, horribly geeky. As if The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, and Castlevania weren't retro enough, Zapata has re-created each game as an ASCII roguelike. Now, instead of hopping across pools of lava to collect an energy tank, you press "D" to jump, then tap the arrow keys to scoot across slightly darker characters that symbolize higher ground. Despite the obvious limitations the roguelike style presents, Zapata has managed to accurately emulate the feel of each game. You know, even though Link is a purple @ symbol.

All three games include a full arsenal of music and sound effects, and CastlevaniaRL packs its own graphical tileset. Very little documentation is provided at the moment (the games are still works-in-progress), so start pressing buttons and you'll get the gist of things. Fortunately they aren't nearly as complex as most roguelikes, so you don't need to remember that "Q" stands for "quaff" which means "drink".

The creator of a 2D fan remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time recently passed away in a fatal car accident. Dampe (as he was known on the forums) devoted himself to the OoT2D project for months. With his death, the game, the official OoT2D webpage as well as the forums are closed forever. A video from late last year shows the game in action.

Thanks for your dedication. Thousands of people you never even knew appreciate your hard work.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2dfanfanmadefanprojecthomebrewnintendoocarinaoftimePCzeldaSun, 25 Mar 2007 09:28:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/16/friday-video-compare-and-contrast-next-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/16/friday-video-compare-and-contrast-next-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/16/friday-video-compare-and-contrast-next-week/#commentsOne game, two very different videos -- that's what we're looking at in this week's video spotlight. Lunar Knights has had a great run of ads, and thanks to a Konami fan site's trailer contest, there are all new takes on the game. It's interesting to look at the impact music can have on a story. We've seen the footage in this trailer in other videos, but now the music is more dramatic, and it shapes a wholly different story. Lunar Knights has always come across as a little campy, but now those same images are painted with a more melancholy brush. We offer this (actual) trailer for comparison to the fan-made trailer after the jump.

Brickshelf hosts submissions representing most consoles, from a fantastic, accurate PS2 by Blue Star Media to more artistic interpretations of the 360 and PS3 by "johnsocal" and "mista-noodles." We wish bricking a console could always be this much fun.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brickshelfbuildfanfandomlegoPS2PS3WiiXbox-360Tue, 13 Mar 2007 17:50:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/05/if-you-want-it-the-psp-cooling-fan/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/05/if-you-want-it-the-psp-cooling-fan/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/05/if-you-want-it-the-psp-cooling-fan/#commentsThe fine folks of Acid Mods have done it again: they've created yet another impressive modification for the PSP. But this one will make you spin your head a bit. It's a cooling fan. Yes, a cooling fan.

While it's true that the system may get a little bit warm when connected via wi-fi, the portable doesn't seem to suffer from overheating issues like its console cousins. However, if you need to play your PSP on a hot summer day, you may want to check this out. Regardless of its practicality, it's certainly an ingenious piece of work.

Months ago, Penny Arcade outlined the dangers of playing the Wii with small, controlled movements -- namely, looking like a total toolbox. As if this wasn't enough warning, the guys at Dog Rodeo have put together a humorous look at just how slothful you can be while still playing a decent game of Wii Sports. Personally, we find it hard to believe that a ceiling fan could be such an able tennis player, but the humans will have the last laugh when the fan is taken out by an errant remote.

Here are two very different approaches to PSP video fandom. They're both creative and show effort, but only one ends up being actually worthwhile. The top video is a fan-made commercial, submitted by Dane Kaplan, and it shows how Sony's portable can bring people together. I loved the principal that volunteered to take part in this silliness: it shows you that there's always a pal in a principal! (Ugh... bad joke...)

The second video below certainly takes the cake for originality. These two teens got some meticulously crafted George Bush and Osama Bin Laden masks. Apparently, these two have more than a conspiracy theory in common--they both love to play the PSP! Too bad it isn't as funny as it could've been.

This is a significant achievement for the peripheral manufacturer, which had the savvy to exploit mass hysteria generated from rumors that Xbox 360 overheats to the point of malfunction (which it doesn't, unless a unit is truly defective). The real genius employed was in deciding Intercooler's price. At $20, consumers have proved willing to bite. The relatively low cost seems to outweigh the risks (i.e., it might be just a noisy fan).

With this level of success, think a PlayStation 3 model is far behind?

*In response to this alleged defect, Nyko vows: "For those consumers who feel they have received a defective product, Nyko will replace both the damaged Intercooler 360 and Xbox 360 console upon first hand verification that the Intercooler 360 caused the system to fail."

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fanintercoolerIntercooler 360Intercooler360NykoXbox-360Tue, 14 Nov 2006 22:55:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/05/smash-bros-fandom-to-the-fullest/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/05/smash-bros-fandom-to-the-fullest/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/05/smash-bros-fandom-to-the-fullest/#commentsWe're fans to the point where some might question our sanity, however we've never taken our intense want for [insert game and or gaming system here] to the levels of composing long fan fictions and/or drawing up ideas for characters and levels. We could never do that. It'd be a tell beyond our insane ability to include gaming quotes into casual conversation (I feel asleep). The cost of being caught is just too high for us to pay.

We'll gladly give up others, however. Like these fine folk who decided they'd compose their own fantasy roster, complete with arsenal of moves for each proposed character. Not only that, they've come up with their own stages. So whomever is in charge of busting perps like these, have at it!

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>charactersfanfictionlinkmarionintendostageswiiTue, 05 Sep 2006 13:15:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/18/the-psp-fanboy-video-sandwich/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/18/the-psp-fanboy-video-sandwich/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/18/the-psp-fanboy-video-sandwich/#comments
I present to you, late-night PSP Fanboy reader, my Fan-made PSP video sandwich. A video on top and a video on bottom, with some tasty commentary by me in the middle. And, I can guarantee that this sandwich has no trans fat. These videos have been unearthed from the depths of the internet. They would've been posted earlier, but they're not really too funny. They are, however, an interesting testament of the PSP fanboy spirit. The video on top is a great tutorial on the various functions of the PSP, marred only by the constant use of immature sex jokes. I like to be a bit more subtle in my efforts.

The video on the bottom successfully recreates the Hackers Versus Sony story from earlier, but now with Star Wars music and Really Awkward And Random Capitalization! Enjoy, and expect some real PSP news in the morning.